Conference rdvax::grateful

    kinda funny Bobby should go to the WELL for ideas...  anyone else
    remember his comment to the effect of "why should i give sh*t about
    what a bunch of dweebs on the WELL think???"  (in reference to a
    discussion of Picasso Moon being the worst dead song ever)
    
    for what i'd like to see...  i believe that the band has spawned a
    whole new culture of it's own that incorporates a lot of other cultures
    in it...  i'd like to see the establishment of "culturaly centers"...
    a fe places across the country where "tribal gatherings" can occur
    periodically and where the boys and others can have events lasting
    for a few days at a time so that the culture can thrive...  this thing
    has become bigger than they, or we, are...  i'd like to see them feed
    and care for it...
    
    no, i don't think they are obliged to, but it sure would be nice...
    kind of like the rainbow gatherings...
    
    					da ve

    
    The Dead have always been able to provide quite a variety in their
    presentation.  Not only is there variety in the setlists, but the songs
    themselves have transformed naturally over the years. 
    
    I think the new Dead will need to offer that sort of variety, not only in 
    the music, but in the performers.  I would like to see many various
    musicians with many different styles/cultures/instruments sitting in 
    Jerry's spot.  On a tour by tour basis, I think this would keep
    everyone from getting bored, including the performers. 
    
    As far as Jerry's tunes go.  It would be nice to have Robert Hunter
    recite the poetry, but I think the audience could do a fine job if
    given the chance.
    
    Bringing back Bruce Hornsby would also be a familiar sight.
    
    
    				- Deane

Bring Hornsby back, have him sing more and have the band play a few of his songs.

Jim

How about a series of "XXXX and the Dead" mini-tours - Dylan and the Dead,
Hornsby and the Dead, Carlos Santana and the Dead, Robert Hunter and the Dead,
etc.  Each plays a short set alone and then come together for one big set at
the end.  

Jim

    ....Barry Manilow and the Dead 

	Nellie Wilson and the Dead.

    How about The Beatles, and  The Dead... only kidding.
    I like XXXXand The Dead, spice things up

    menudo and the dead
    
    latin SALSA!

    
    Willie Nelson?  

	yeah, that's him. Nellie. Nellie Wilson "on the road again ..."
	
	;-)  ;-) 

    Frank Sinatra and the Dead

    Tony Bennett and the Dead
    
    
    he's a MTV kinda guy as of late

	c'mooooon. you guys are gettin' weird.
	
	next i expect something like: madonna and th...
	                                   (i can't even finish it  ;-)

>    kinda funny Bobby should go to the WELL for ideas...  anyone else
>    remember his comment to the effect of "why should i give sh*t about
>    what a bunch of dweebs on the WELL think???"  (in reference to a
>    discussion of Picasso Moon being the worst dead song ever)
    

	Hah!  Seth Jackson (former DEChead) was the one who posted the
	LA Times(?) article to r.m.gd...and added the comment "so maybe 
	Bobby will be reading in here.  Be careful what you say.  No 
	more bad-mouthing Picasso Moon" (liberal use of quotes here)

	anyways, I really like your idea da ve - I think that would be
	way cool to have gatherings such as that - the band nourishing
	the culture and us nourishing them and eachother - I love being
	together with many, many deadheads - it feels so good.

	anyways, my thoughts.
	just some random ideas I've been thinking about while listening
	to '95 tapes and 70's tapes...

	Bobby, in the 70's, played such a soft and beautiful rhythm.
	It's had a "harsher" sound of late, I think just to be heard
	with all the other sounds.  He was really out front in the 
	(particularly early) 70's and it was very easy to hear the 
	interactions of all the guitars.
	Sorta like what he does with the acoustic today.  Listening to
	this summer tour's tapes, I think he's been out front alot lately
	too, only cause Garia was so low key.
	Maybe now that the lead guitar part will be a new-to-the-band
	player, maybe Bobby can step out again and be a lead-rhythm
	guitarist, whatever that is.  

	Fredda mentioned Steve Kimock(?) of Zero for lead guitarist - I
	think this is an excellent idea - we need the spaciness for it
	to still be the Dead and I also think we need someone who is
	not "world-renowned" - Kimock is well-known and respected but
	not a household name.  He's also familiar with the style and the
	songs and has a history with the bandmembers.

	I love drums and space - I hope, even if they change the format
	of their shows, that they still keep this part.

	Listening to Phil sing makes me cringe.  Sorry.  If he's going
	to be singing more of the songs in a show, I would strongly suggest
	they get a singer to sing along with him (and not just backup) -
	along the lines of what Donna did with him.   I'm thinking in
	particular of "Unbroken Chain" - I can't listen to him sing that
	without making up Donna's part in my head - it's too painful ;-)

	at one point I thought, instead of having someone else sing
	Jerry's songs, maybe have a new instrument like maybe Branford's
	sax do the parts where the vocals would be.  Except. Those words.
	We still have to hear those words.  No ideas on who though.

	Debess

    hey!
    lay off Lesh!

    I HAVE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    
    		ZAMFIR and The Dead!!!!!!!!!!!  :^) :^) :^)

    PANFLUTEHEADS UNITE!

    
    Debess-
    
    About Bob's guitar sound in the 90's: IT SOUNDS LIKE A FRICKIN KAZOO!!
    Listen! You'll agree. (Harsh is an understatement). :-)
    
    And yeah, he was AMAZING in the 70's. (Although, I admit he had a
    nice sound in '87 too- Hampton comes to mind. Best Terrapin ever
    played)  :-)
    
    IMHExpertO (of course)
    Steve-O               

    
    I have to agree 100% about Bobby's guitar.....he played some really
    neat, intricate rhythm guitar in the 70's.  Lately, I think he has
    gotten away from the style (for whatever reason), and replaced all
    those neat things he did with guitar effects (he uses a really cheesy
    distortion setting that creates that harsh "kazoo" sound).
    
    It does sound really awful at times.....
    
    Hogan

    
    yanni and the dead...

    at the acropolis... :^)

    Is Slim Whitman available ?  ;-)   Would vault releases on obscure 
    UHF channels late at night on weekends be next ???

    I've always thought that Willie Nelson should cover Stella Blue.

    also fwiw, I'd like to see Henry Kaiser hook up with the band.
    He can play and he gets wierd enuf too ;-) 

    /Ken

	well, if Willie played with the boyz, he'd be able to afford a
	new guitar.   ;-)  ;-)  ;-)

    he'd be getting busted alot more too!!
    :^)

      Snoop doggy dog can rap all the Jerry tunes and Mariah Carey can
    do some Donna tunes......and that guy Zak something that filled in
    for Dicky Betts after he was arrested for hitting his wife should
    take over guitar duties....;-)

	...in the same article that started this note, Weir also said
	something about them thinking of keeping Jerry's repertoire in
	the rotation - just dividing the songs amongst themselves...
	hmmmmmmmm, very interesting...whattaya think about that?

	Debess

	noone will answer me so I'll talk to myself ;-)...

	what do I think of them still doing Jerry's songs?
	I'm happy at the prospect.  

	the reality of "he's gone and nothing's gonna bring him back"
	has set in but the idea of never hearing his songs done live
	again is the bummer that hits me over and over again.
	
	I've heard Slipknot doing his songs, and the first time I
	heard them after Jerry died, I felt just fine hearing them
	being done by someone else - just like they always did, right?

	But they're not the Dead and it's another thing entirely to
	think of the (remaining) Dead performing and someone else singing
	Jerry's words with his bandmates playing the music.  I think it
	will be a mindwarp - and I kinda enjoy mindwarps myself ;-) actually...

	There are just some songs that are so much a part of the Deadshow
	experience, how they could continue (as the Dead) and not perform
	them is hard for me to imagine.  It would be so sad for me never to
	hear them play Chinacat Sunflower, Eyes of the World, Terrapin,
	Bertha, Birdsong...yyyeeeeeeeeeeee...forget it...I'm making myself
	sad again...

	noone will console me, so I'll have to console myself...
	...don't feel so sad Debess, when they do start playing together
	again, that's gonna be the easiest place to be with Jerry's spirit...
	(don't mind me...I'm in a weird mood today...and noone will play 
	with me!)... ;-) ;^0 8-)

	so, anyways, to change the subject again kindof but not really...
	in that same article it said what the other bandmembers are doing
	now and it mentioned that Phil is going over tapes from the last
	5 years to put together an album of their "new" songs that they
	were trying to do a studio version of.

	don't mind me as I get in another shot (I really do love Phil too,
	just not his singing), so, I hope when he's listening to these tapes,
	with his perfect pitch and all, that he'll make a realistic decision 
	about his future vocal participation...

	Debess

    phil rocks the house......
    
    end of story
    
    :^)

    whatta ya mean Debess? between Phil's and Vince's tunes we could have a
    kickass new album from the boyz! ;^)
    
    something like this:
    
    Long Way To Go Home
    If The Shoe Fits
    Samba In the Rain
    Childhood's End
    Long Way To Go Home
    Unbroken Chain
    All Too Much
    Tom Thumb's Blues
    Long Way To Go Home
    
    

	so, you like his voice, huh, Chris?

    I just think he is the best *allaround* musician in the band....
    his voice...well,  ;^)
    i also think we gotta cherish what we got left as an entity known as
    the Grateful Dead so I'll even stop making comments about Bob Weir's 
    cheesiness....  :^)
    which really got me going.....
                          
    

    i have been tied up most of the day since this was first posted so i
    couldn't play until now...
    
    i hope they do continue to play Jerry's songs...  i know i plan to!
    i kinda hoope that some of them will eventually enter the realm of
    american folk music so that people will be diggin them for years and
    years to come...  the music never stops, you know?
    
    you betcha it's going to be very wierd hearing them come from another
    voice up there...  never really bothered me when slipknot and others
    would cover them cuz, well, they still sound like themselves covering
    the dead...  it would be the DEAD that would really wierd me out... :^)
    
    it's kinda wierd...  i listen to a lot of the music now and it really
    can bring me down knowing that it will never happen that way again...
    i get happy for being there for the times that i could, and i'm
    certainly glad to have been part of this long strange bus ride for as
    long as i have been...  still, listening to Dark Star, Terrapin,
    Broke Down and so many others there's a little pang that just won't go
    away, no matter how much happiness there is in the room at the
    moment...
    
    i guess i'll always miss Jerry...  it still amazes me how much of an
    affect he had when he was here, and again, now that he's not...  but
    then again, it's part of why i want to see some of his tunes become 
    the new folk songs...  as long as the music plays, he still lives...
    
    					da ve

	HEY! about Bob's cheesiness - that really got me going too ;-)...
	so watch what you're poking fun at there now... 

	but, I started this note with the idea of some suggestions
	and since I'm not too good at thinking up new people they
	could add, I'm thinking along the lines of what they have...

	and if they're thinking along the lines of sharing the vocals
	to Jerry's songs, this is my strongest suggestion.  Unfortunately,
	it's a negative suggestion, but I personally wonder how many
	shows I would keep going to if Phil became a principle singer,
	how many new tapes I would listen to.  That's how strongly I
	feel about it.  I thought I could make a positive suggestion with
	maybe a "co-singer" with Phil (at all times!)...
    
	Debess

    LET PHIL SING!!!!  LET PHIL SING!!!!  LET PHIL SING!!!!
    
    
    	but only once or twice per show... :^) :^) :^)
    
    i like Phil a lot, and i've enjoyed when he gets to sing...  of course,
    mostly because he rarely gets to sing...  
    
    i feel reasonably confident that things are not so bad that he will be
    elevated to the role of lead vocalist... :^)  i'd rather let Bobby
    drool on me all night... (EEEeeWWWWwww!!!!!)  
    
    Phil, as a musician, is an awesome bass player....
    Phil, as a vocalist, is an awesome bass player....  :^)
    
    they should have no problem...  Vince and Bobby and the guests
    (assuming there are guests) can handle it...  let Phil do those low
    harmony type things...
    
    					da ve

    
    
    Hey debess,
      I cruised to work this morn, jammin to a kick ass JGB show the whole
    way.  I was very sad that I will never see my FAVORITE musician again.
    The man had soul.  I thought about the sad day in August when he passed
    on.  I thought about the music he left behind.   And I especially
    danced my ass off the whole way, jammin to the tunes.  
    
      I don't believe it IS over and CAN'T wait to see the band again.
    I hope they do Jerry songs, as long as they can do them justice.
    
     	Mark
    
    Diggin JGB Pawtucket 1978 
    

	re; phil singing 
	
	i don't like it and find it almost excruciating.
	but, people beg for it at shows.
	gawd only knows why  ;-)
	i'd rather listen to him boom on that base.

	well, I been thinking (again)...and most of these replies here
	have, jokingly or not, been suggesting guests.  I actually would
	rather they didn't go that route...at least not in a "permanent"
	way.  One of the most wonderful aspects of this band has been
	the chemistry between the players - the way they can intuit
	(is that a word?!?) where eachother is going and be there with
	eachother.  Sometimes it would even seem that they were all
	playing their own song, but it would all fit together so well.
	It's not just something even the most talented musician can always 
	do with a band that has played together for so long.  I have to say 
	that I truthfully was not always so thrilled to be at a show where a 
	guest was playing - it changed the dynamics.  Not that the music
	wasn't good, it just seemed to me that more often than not the guest
	precluded the "magic" from happening.  Branford and Bruce were 
	exceptions to this - they seemed to fit right in quite well.

	I hope they decide to find one (or more) permanent new bandmember(s) 
	to take Jerry's place, someone that they can be real comfortable with,
	so that they'll be able to jam into space together -effortlessly-...

	I've seen Henry Kaiser mentioned as a potential lead guitarist, and I 
	know that he and Bobby have played together.  I have never heard him, 
	but I've heard him described as someone who can play great spacey jams.
	He plays "Dark Star" with his band.  Anyone heard his playing?  Any
	thoughts on him?

	Debess

    re: Henry Kaiser

    I've only heard his "Those that know history and are doomed to repeat it",
    I think that's the name of it.  I haven't listened to it in a long time, 
    but I was blown away when I heard it.   It contains Dark Star, Mason's 
    Children, both very very well done.  I forget what else is on there, but
    he's a great guitarist.  Not sure about vocals though, could be another
    Phil situation here ;-)

    /Ken

    
    I think that a constant rotation of guests would no work out in the
    long run, because it would become tiring for the band.....it seems to
    me that trying to integrate a new person on a regular basis would be a
    lot of work, and they would be constantly working towards but never
    achieving a "comfortable" state on stage (something that is essential
    to these guys I feel).
    
    I doubt this would happen.....I think they realize that they need a
    permanent member added....that is, if they've even thought about it ;^)
    
    Hogan

    when i talk of guests, i am usually referring to the Bruce, Branford,
    Dylan type... the folks they know, are comfy with, have some rapport
    already...  i agree that it would be most difficult to work in new
    folks all the time, and counterproductive...
    
    as for Phil singing, i agree Jols, it can be painful...  i like it
    mostly for the novelty aspect...  he doesn't sing often so it's kinda
    fun when he does...  also, i LOVE box o' rain... :^)
    
    					da ve  

>    <<< Note 501.35 by ALFA2::DWEST "the storyteller makes no choice..." >>>
>                              -< let Phil sing! >-


>    i feel reasonably confident that things are not so bad that he will be
>    elevated to the role of lead vocalist... :^)


        well, da ve, you have put my mind at ease ;-) a bit with your
        words here...and listening last night to a Ratdog tape and
        thinking here is Bobby singing all the songs all night so there
        should really be no reason he couldn't take over more of the songs
        at a Dead show...

        Debess

    yep, that's me!  minds eased, while-you-wait... :^)
    
    
    now, let's move on tothe thought of Bobby doing all that lead
    singing...  i wholeheartedly agree that he's very good at what he 
    does, but does that mean that we're going to have to listen to 
    the cheesey ramada-inn-lounge-parts now???  should i start leaving the 
    tie dyes at home and wearing polyester???  or just bring a big block of
    vermont cheddar to pass out at shows when he starts singing Misty?
    
    			:^) :^) :^)
    
    					da ve

    
    The day jerry left us, I ventured to Hampton Beach to chill.  Upon
    arriving at the seasonal traffic jam at the entrance to Hampton, I
    could hear Bobby singing at the club casino from the car.  It was a 
    relief to hear his voice.  I would think that to be the same now. 

    as cheest as he is...it would still be the boys and I will learn to
    deal...
    
    
    If i get hit with spit from the stage tho,  I am walking out
    :^)

	cheese: JUST SAY NO!
	
	(i'd prefer phil to sing than to sit thru Misty ;-)
	

    

	ah, yes, another worry ;-)... when I first heard the Dead do
	"Samba" I had the same sorta vision - polyester deadheads in
	a Las Vegas lounge ;-)... and Bobby -does- tend to drift to
	the lounge-act style songs when on his own... I know deep in
	my heart that he's a prankster and won't go straight on us,
	but sometimes I think that tendency is there and maybe he 
	needs to surround himself with fellow-weirdos to keep him 
	from going in that direction too much!

	if they do keep Jerry's songs that may ensure that the deadness
	will continue.

	Debess

    so that means we will get to see another Scarlet->Fire
    or Chinacat
    or Terrapin
    or Althea
    or HelpSlipFrank
    or WharfRat
    or
    or         
    or....
    :^)

<- yes, unless they go commercial and get Velveeta to sponsor the tour
	
	:-q
	
	

    
    I could deal with not hearing velveeta....er, I mean Corina again.
    It's offensive and it followed me for nearly the whole summer tour of
    1992.  I'd rather be Enternitied.

	....sshhake sshhhhhhake...

	btw - what is it that is offensive to you about Corrina?

	and another question - who did Weir write Eternity with?

    I'll take whatever they want to throw my way..
    
    I'll *NEVER* complain about another cheesy bobby song again 
    (though I may call it one, i'll never complain)
    and I'll *never* complain about another dead-done-dylan song
    either.....
    
    VELLVEEETTAAAA ! everyone sing along!!! SHHHHAAAAKKKKKEEEEEE!!

    >>what is it that is offensive to you about Corrina?
    
    some of the lyrics are cheezy but I almost expect that from Bob these
    days. Overall I dig it!!
    
    >>who did Weir write Eternity with?
    
    I'm having a mental block on this right now but me thinks its Willie
    Dixon

    wasn't neil young in on velveeta as well
    and i think you are right about willie too jeff

	my ALLSONGS.ZIP lists Eternity as Bob Weir and Willie Dixon.
	
	it doesn't have a song called Velveeta, tho.
	
	and i like Corina

    
    I found Corrina to lag in the Dead department.  There's no exotic
    story, outstanding solos, climaxes or intense, reveling jams.
    
    Oh yeah.  I used the term "offended" cause it's a selfish buzzword of the
    nineties and I felt my ranting and ravings about Purina deemed it
    appropriate.  Offense is far to often wasted by the easily offended
    it seems. :-)
    

	I thought that Corrina was opening up into some nice jams
	in the end as of late, no?

	the part I didn't like in that song was (not too good on
	musical terms) the bridge part - doesn't exactly seem well
	worked out to me, and doesn't seem to fit in well...

	as to what we're supposed to shake - damned if I know, just
	love to hear Bobby tell me to shake it ;-)

	Debess

    <<< Note 501.58 by STAR::ECOMAN::DEBESS "where the neon madmen climb" >>>
             -< asks you with a grin if you're having a good time >-


>	I thought that Corrina was opening up into some nice jams
>	in the end as of late, no?

From the nobody asked me departmet...

I agree w/ Debess.  It was coming right along....

Listen to the last garden run or the one before...One has an excellent
corrina....with a nice jam at the end too.

bob

    >>wasn't neil young in on velveeta as well
    
    Neil had his hands in "Easy Answers" and appears on Wasserman's Trios
    CD performing that song with Wasserman and Bobby.
    
    BTW, Willie Dixon is on that CD as well performing a song called
    "Dustin' Off the Bass". Nicely done tune, IMO!!
    
    
    Back to Corrina - the end of that song was really starting to go
    someweir I thought (went nicely with Mathilda jams) and there were some 
    very comical moments when Jerry would try to growl and scream during the 
    chorus. Listen to the version from Highgate '94 and in one spot it sounds 
    like someone stepped on the big man's foot or something for the wail he 
    let's out!! My favorite part of that show! ;^)

	while I'm admitting to songs-I-like-that-everyone-else-doesn't,
	I like "Long Long Long Long Long etc Way to Go Home"...just
	not so often...

	Debess

	Corina is Hart-Weir-Hunter.
	
	I also liked the 94 highgate corina. but, i don't have the tape.
	:-(  poor me.  :-(  pity
	
	;-)
	
	I like long long way too.

    
    Awe, c'mon.  Don't you think General Mills should approach Bobby.  How
    avant-garde.
                
    "Puuuurrrrrinnnnnaaaa.....puppy chow!
     Puuuurrrrriiinnnaaaa.....eat it, eat it!
    

    i can see it now...
    
    Puuuuuurrrrriiiiinnnnnaaaaaa... eat it up puppy!!!!
    	
    	and a camera shot of a dog spitting drool from a microphone... :^)
    
    
    					da ve

    
    Yes, they can use an Otis look alike!  Or even more bizzare, a dog that
    resembles Bobby.

    >>Or even more bizzare, a dog that resembles Bobby.
    
    I always thought Bobby and Droopy Dog had similar features. 

well, behind in here again.
anyways, i just blaaaaaaaaaaaazzed thru this topic...


re: guests

i'd be psyched for guests.  definitely add a new dimension to the
band.  i always had a great time when Ronnie would invite his
bluez buddies up on stage at the bull and let'em jam.  some guests
were people just starting out, others we very well seasoned (Pine Top
Perkins, BBQ Bob, etc) and made for some fun fun nights.

re; corrina

i actually like this song.
it _can_ be very trippy :-)

re: bobby

i can dig bobby... he cranks and gets the place raging
wqhen he delivers the vocals with authority.  same with
the old days of brent... he could really whip the crowd
into a frenzy!  vinnie can too, he just hasta do the
right songs.  definitely need a mix of vocalists though
'cux bobby will tire...

    
    	Well, maybe its time for some silly trivia.
    
    	Anybody know why they called the CD/Album Without A Net?
    
    	My thoughts in the next reply.
    
    

    
    	When Brnet Mydland would check into a hotel, he used the name
    Cliffton Hanger, or Cliff Hanger, as his name.
    
    	Without a Net is a reference to that.
    
    

	I always thought it was because it was live...

    i always thought it was because Annette stopped touring with the
    band...   ;^)
    
    				da ve

Weren't you going to call your band that once, Da ve?

Without Annette?

:-)

Mebbe that was someone else...

tim

	did this come out after Brent had died (I can't remember)?

	and you're saying they named it this because of his alias
	and because of the way he lived his life and because of the
	way he died?

	hmmmmmmmm......

    yep...  :^)  Bruised Orange, the ol' bluegrass band was almost called
    without annette...  but considering how much trouble we have getting
    people to spell Cross the Water right, we decided Without Annette
    would be too tough...
    
    and now the Cross the Water is together again, we're still having
    trouble getting people to get that one right...  maybe Without Annette
    would have been better after all!
    
    					da ve